Disclosure Ref: 8 sent 23.4

Freedom of Information Act 2000 Request

Number of orders requested by the CPS under the Modern Slavery Act 2015

Request

I would like to know the number of occasions the following orders under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 were made in each of the 14 CPS areas if possible (and if this is not possible the Avon and Somerset area as a priority).

1. Slavery and trafficking prevention orders (STPOs)

2. Slavery and trafficking risk orders (STROs)

I would like the figures for all of the orders applied for, and all the orders granted, for each CPS area, and also more precisely in the city of Bristol local authority area within the Avon and Somerset region if possible.

I would like the figures for the areas and the city for each year since the inception of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, so: 2015; 2016; 2017 and 2018 to date.

If possible I would also like the type of exploitation each order pertained to: e.g. labour exploitation, sex exploitation, etc.

Response

The Crown Prosecution Service does not hold the information requested.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 introduced two civil orders designed to prevent the harm caused by slavery and human trafficking offences. This includes a) Slavery and trafficking prevention orders (STPOs) and b) Slavery and trafficking risk orders (STROs).

The police, the National Crime Agency, immigration officers and labour abuse prevention officers from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority can apply to the magistrates’ court for Risk Orders in the case of an unconvicted defendant. These are civil orders which allow the courts to place a range of restrictions on the behaviour and activities of a person who poses a risk of committing slavery or trafficking offences.

In the case of a convicted defendant, the prosecution can apply to the trial judge at Crown Court for a Prevention Order, which again allows a court, based on the evidence heard, to grant an order to restrict activities post sentence. The CPS does not however record details of Ancillary Orders made by the Court.

Information on the number of orders granted (and possibly the numbers applied for) and the court location would only be held by Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service or the Ministry of Justice (HMCTS/MoJ). You may wish to submit a Freedom of Information request to them to the following address:

data.access@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Information Management Unit 020 3357 0899 FOI.Unit@cps.gsi.gov.uk